Control assembly for steering gears



July 23, 1929.. D. E. ROSS 1,721,792

CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR STEERING GEARS Filed Dec. 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1July 23, 1929. D. E. RQSS 1,721,792

CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR STEERING GEARS Filed Dec. 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented July 23, 1929.

- UNITED ,srArE s EPA-TENT OFFICE.

Davin amass, oriLAf FAYETTE, Imam, A'ssIe NoR'To ROSS GEAR a TOOL com- 1PA NY, OF LA FAYETTE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

'coNTR'of. ASSEMBLY FOR s'rnERI'Ne GEARS.

iflpplicationfiled December 15, 1926. Serial No. 154,923.

This invention relates to control assemblies for use in connection withthe steering gear of automobiles, in which the controls are mounted onthe-steering shaft and above the hub of the steering Wheel so that thecontrol levers can be readily operated by the operator at the steering'wheel.

The object'of the invention is to provide a novel, compact, simple andefficient control --having a fewwparts, which can be readily assembledupon the gear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of theinvention, and I will describe-th e-s'ame with reference to saiddrawings,rto enable others toadopt and use the sarhe. h In -the:claimsthe "e'ssentialsof the invention'and the novel featureso'fconstructionand combination of parts for which pro tection is desiredare set forth. "In said drawings I F1gure' 1i1s a verticalsectional'view of a 5 control assembly embodying the invention. Fig. 2is a detail'vertical section at 'right angles to the section shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail View "of the supporting yoke detached.

' Fig-=4" is a detail plan view of the disk that *carries the hornbutton devices.

' firings.

t'rol levers;and itsfrictionspring. 1? g i Fig. '9' is'a view of theinsulating washer 10, detached.

Fig; '8 is a top planview of one of thecon- Fig. 10 is-a detail view of'the convolute contact spring, detached.

In said drawings, G designates a stationary tube which is customarilyhoused within the tube (not shown) to which the steering wheel (notshown) is attached; the latter tube being usually rotatably mounted inan outer fixed standard or casing. These parts are suitable kind, I

well known, and maybe of any and therefore are not illustrated.

Gis fixedlyattached a supporting yoke 1,Fig.

3, which is preferably a drop forging, and

has an axial opening for enga ement with the up) er end 0 the tube G,and. 9 preferably prev; ed on epposite aides attains opening 4, atoneside of such opening,

slot in and,

with radial slots 1 d with transverse openings,'at right anglesto theslots, for the reception of bolts 1 which freely pass throughunthreadedopenings-atone side of the slots and-are tapped into threaded openingsat the other side of the slot 3 as usual. By tightening these bolts theyoke 1 will be firmly clamped on the upper end of the tube G.

An annular depending skirt or finishing member 1 may be-supported on"the ends of the yoke 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and is adapted tocover the upper end of the hub of the steering wheel (not shown). Thisski rtmight form an integral part of the yoke 1, but preferably it isstamped, and maybe secured thereto by the bolts 2 Supported upon theyoke l is a base member 2wl1ich is preferably stamped out of metal, andthis base member has a segmental vertical por tion 2 which extendspreferably something more than 180 (Fig. 6) and is provided atdiametrically opposite points with openings 2 for the passage of theretaining bolts or screws 2 These bolts are tapped into cylindricalthreaded openings 1 in thesupporting yoke 1 (see Figs. 1 and 3) andfixedly secure the basemember to the yoke. The

base member has an outwardly extending annular flange 2 at the upper endof the vertical portion 2*, and a vertical upstanding flange 2 at theouter end of the flange 2".

Rotatably mounted upon the yoke 1 extesuperposed control levers; threebeing shown Each lever comprises a preferably annular portion 4 havingan interior diametercorresponding to the exterior" dirior to the basemember 2 are a plurality of ameter of the segmental portion 2 of thebasemember 2, an'd'being rotatably centered upon said member by saidportion 2; so that it candoe turn'ed thereon without becoming axiallydisplaced. The control lever-may side by which it can be turned; andisprovided with a radially disposed inwardly project-ing arm 4: that hasan axially disposed opening adapted to receive the upper end of On theupper end of the supporting tube vided with a belt 4.

have a radially projecting handle Pat one the control lever can besecurely locked to the upper end of the tube. The 3.1113g4c2ai8 adaptedto project into the interior of the base member 2 through the opening inthe. side.. thereolibetween the ends of the portion 2 thereof,-as shown;the'turning movement of portion 2 of the base.

4 may be the light control lever, and attached -to-thelightcontroltubeiL A similar-control lever-"4 isjsimilarly attached-tothe throttle control-tube T, and a similar control lever 4 is similarlyattached to the spark contro tube S, as indicatedin Figs. -1 and 2.

The tubes L, S, T are nested and extend axially of and within the tubeG, as usual.

Annular-washers 7 may be arranged above,

between, and below the levers 1', 48, and 4: as

shown in the drawings. These washers may be provided with shoulders 7.(:Fig. 7) adapted to engage the ends of the portion- 2 of the basetoprevent, rotation of the washers when the levers areturne'd. '1?

I .In order-to hold the control levers' ina'd- -.justed position, I-preferably employ in con- :nectionwith each levera bowspring 4 (Figs.

2 and 8), whiclris interposed between the innor periphery of the leverand thecurved oute'rsurface of portion-2 of the base mem- -ber.. Thisspring-is confined in a segmental recess 4: in the lever; TlIGEGIIClSOiE the recess being undercut to engage and retain the ends of thespring, which can-be sprung into the recess .(seeFig. 8), so that thespring has no sliding movement relative to the lever." The springs P notas frictional brakes to .hold the control levers against casual rotationor dis- 10 placement on the base member 2, and the washers 7 merelyserve as spacers to permit contact between levers.

Three control. levers are shown in the drawings, butobviouslyone or morethan one may be used, according to..-the.number-ofcontrol In theconstruction-shown,;the lower-lever.

openingfl V A helical spring-11;may be'interposed bebase stamping, saiddisk having a central opening surrounded by -an upwardly pro-]ect1ng-flange--3-,- at the dipperend of which 13.8. series of inwardlyprojecting fingers 3" and aseries of upturned finge s3. ,Ihe fins' rslifn a ei ir i atfla s fewest the lever being'limited by the engagement ofthe arm 4* with the ends of the segmental in a'p'usli'buttonfi, whibh isin'ovably confined within a icirc ular opening in an annular covermember" 5 fitted to the flange 2? of the base member and SeQ-ll'fldqbhGI'etO by any suitable means, as screws 5 The puslrbutton 6prTe-fenablyhas a periph- :eral flange 6 Toirits lower edge of largerdiameter than the opening inthe cover "plate 5 so as to retain thebuttonin position I in said tween the disk 3 andthelpush button 6exterior-to the flanges :3. and' G 'Q- as shown in :Fig; 1, to hold the:button 6 innormal raised position- This'button 6 may'also be sup-)orted b the innerend ofaniordinar con- 1 -voluteeleetricxbellspring 8(Fig. 2), which issupported i 011 'i an :insulating Washer 9=mountednaX-1ally: of the: disk '3.- and in turn supported u'pon aninsulatingbushing 10 supported or'rthe fiang'eor serra'tions 3". of disk3.

The'busliing 10 has 'an axial aperture large enough for. the passage of:the'bared' end 0 of an electrical conductor G, which extends downthrough the spark tube'S.oYA:metal: contact" :piece C is soldered to theupp'en end ofthe wire '0, said Contact piecev being centered and .1retainediin position on the insulating bushing 18 by the iiisulating o'rfiber-washer 9. This push-button construction is practically similar tothe ordinary electric door-bell push button, and does not require anyscrews for fastening the? wire. The outer diameter of spiral spring. 10is preferably such as to assure a close fit and good electrical contactbetween said spring-and thesupporting disk' 3.

No parts of the base member 2 is exposed 'i to viewin the finalassembly, so this member tubes employed; and the segmental.portionthenemounted uponthe supporting yokezl.

and attached to their respective tubes." Each lever will be held in anyrotatorially adjusted able top or cover may be placed over the upper 60end of the base member,

in any suitable manner. a \Vhile it is desired to have an electric-pushbutton mounted in the assembly, a button supporting disk 13, preferablyofzstamped and attached thereto base member and having need not beburnished or highly polished.

=Its cylindrical icon'struction imparts; great rigiditysato it andf-it'aprovides. a substantial rigid central a pivotal: support for thecontrol A control such as shown andjdescribedcan levers. w 1:; Obviouslythe number-of control tubes and levers used may beivariedaccording tothe I number of-difie'rent controls. which it is deplaced on thebase-member 2, and the latter;

1. In a control: assemblypa base attachable to'a supporting tube. andhaving position byitsfriction spring 8. .Any suit-,.

sired to have assembled-at.the=center of the steering-wheel; I I r 55The control levers are then properly adjusted an upstandingparti-cylindric portion; a control tube;and a control. lever rotatablycentered upon the upstanding .portion of-the with the control tube. E

2. In combination with-a control assembly as set forth in claim -1,-*abow spring intermetal is placed within the flange'2 of the 1 posedbetween the leverand the parti-cylinmember an arm; connecteddric portionof the base member for holding the lever in adjusted position.

3. In a control. assembly; a base member attachable to a simporting tubeand having an upstanding parti-cylindric portion; a control tubeextendingthrough the supporting tube and base member, and a controllever having a ring portion rotatably centered upon the upstandingportion of the base member and having an arm connected with the controltube, the movement of said control lever being limited by the engagementof the arm with the ends of the parti-cylindric portion of the basemember.

4. In combination with a control assembly as set forth in claim 3,--abow spring inter posed between the lever and the parti-cylindric portionof the base member for holding the lever in adjusted positions.

5. In a control assembly, a base member attachable to a supporting tube,and having an upstanding parti-cylindric portion, a plurality ofconcentric control tubes extending through said supporting tube and basemem her, a plurality of superimposed control lcvers having ring portionsrotatably mounted upon the upstanding portion of said base member andeach having an inwardly extending arm attached to the related controltube; and a cover member mounted on the said base member above the uppercontrol lever.

6. In combination with a control assembly as set forth in claim 5,boWsprings interposed between the levers and the parti-cylindric portionsof the base member for holding the levers in adjusted position.

7. Fora steering gear assembly; a supporting yoke, a base memberattachable to the yoke and having a parti-cylindric upstanding portionand an annular flange at top, and a cover member attachable to theannular flange having a central opening.

8. For a steering gear assembly; a supporting yoke; a base memberattachable to the yoke and having a parti-cylindric upstanding portion;and a supporting disk attachable to the base member having a centralopenin 9. For a steering gear assembly, comprising a supporting yoke, abase member attachable to the yoke and having a parti-cylindricupstanding portion, and an annular flange at top, a supporting diskattachable to the base member and having a central opening, and a covermember attachable to the annular flange.

10. For a steering gear assembly, a control lever supporting meanscomprising a supporting yoke a base member attachable to the yoke andhaving a parti-cyli ndric upstanding pm'tion and an annular flange attop, a cover member attachable to the annular flange, a supporting diskattachable to the base member having a central opening, and a series offingers surrounding the openings.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I allix my signature.

DAVID E. ROSS.

